In a cring inducing over the top way. Yeah, I guess
My theory on why Kes wasn't a more beloved character. Also opinion on Lien. post-"Voyager."
- Thread starter Jayson1
- Start date
Honestly, the only reason I can see why Kes wasn't more popular than she was were because she was supposed to be more of a background character.
Janeway and Chakotay were supposed to be the main characters, Paris, Tuvok and Torres were what we can call "second-rated" while Kes, neelix, The Doctor and Kim were supposed to be more of background characters.
I don't think that the silly lifespan was any obstacle because it was hardly mentioned and were more and more seldom brought up the longer the series progressed. The life-span could have been prolonged without problems by the writers and there were indications for such solutions as well.
Bad writing wasn't any issue either since the writers actually managed to come up with very good stories about her from time to time. Episodes like "Cold Fire", "Warlord", "Persistence Of Vision" and "The Swarm" in wich Kes was the main characer or at least a very important character are among Voyager's best.
Accusations that Lien was a bad actress and couldn't show emotions are ridiculous. If we look at some of the best Lien performances during her too short stint with Voyager, she, if anyone is excellent in showing emotions in the best possible ways.
Kes was never unpopular. When I started to hang out on different forums in 1998 after have watched the first episodes of Voyager, the only disliked character was Neelix. There were a lot of attacks on him at that point, actually so rude that they reminded me of the hate campaign against Wesley Crusher earlier on.
Janeway was also highly debated at that time. A lot of fans liked her but there were also those who didn't.
Kim was regarded as a weak character and The Doctor wasn't as popular among some fans either. But Kes was hardly debated at all, even if she wasn't everybodys favorite, she wasn't hated or disliked either.
Later on, I had the bad luck of running into some net trolls who either hated the character and the actress or just wanted to fight about something but that's another story and they were clearly a very small fraction.
Janeway and Chakotay were supposed to be the main characters, Paris, Tuvok and Torres were what we can call "second-rated" while Kes, neelix, The Doctor and Kim were supposed to be more of background characters.
I don't think that the silly lifespan was any obstacle because it was hardly mentioned and were more and more seldom brought up the longer the series progressed. The life-span could have been prolonged without problems by the writers and there were indications for such solutions as well.
Bad writing wasn't any issue either since the writers actually managed to come up with very good stories about her from time to time. Episodes like "Cold Fire", "Warlord", "Persistence Of Vision" and "The Swarm" in wich Kes was the main characer or at least a very important character are among Voyager's best.
Accusations that Lien was a bad actress and couldn't show emotions are ridiculous. If we look at some of the best Lien performances during her too short stint with Voyager, she, if anyone is excellent in showing emotions in the best possible ways.
Kes was never unpopular. When I started to hang out on different forums in 1998 after have watched the first episodes of Voyager, the only disliked character was Neelix. There were a lot of attacks on him at that point, actually so rude that they reminded me of the hate campaign against Wesley Crusher earlier on.
Janeway was also highly debated at that time. A lot of fans liked her but there were also those who didn't.
Kim was regarded as a weak character and The Doctor wasn't as popular among some fans either. But Kes was hardly debated at all, even if she wasn't everybodys favorite, she wasn't hated or disliked either.
Later on, I had the bad luck of running into some net trolls who either hated the character and the actress or just wanted to fight about something but that's another story and they were clearly a very small fraction.
I think that would be interesting to see
Agreed. In Warlord especially she seemed like she was overacting. It was all forced and clunkyIn a cring inducing over the top way. Yeah, I guess
Well, that would have been"interesting" for those who hate the character, I guess.
Fortunately it never happened.
I don't think Lien overacted in "Warlord", I think she did a great job in that particular episode.
And in many other episodes too.
Her acting were much better than the acting of some of the other actors in that serie.
I think it would be interesting to see the drama that story line could bring, and I don't hate the character
Kes was, in my opinion, the true moral compass of the Ship. She was more Starfleet Officer than anyone else and that elevated the other characters as well - especially Janeway. Whenever Janeway stood in front of a hard decicion, she knew that Kes was watching her, looking up to her and expecting her to do the right thing. And because of that Janeway always tried to do just that - the right thing, being reminded of who she was - or used to be through Kes. I'm sure she saw a lot of herself in Kes.
Kes was a nice child, so Janeway was a nice teacher/mother, walking a bit taller, behaving a bit better (as did the others). Seven in contrast was a bitchy child (which I liked) and Janeway became a bitchy mother (which I hated).
Kes and Seven were acutally pretty alike (I always assumed that Kes was being raped by the Kazon, so that's not exactly a nice childhood either). They both would question others, they both would fight for the things they believed in - and for those in Need (The Doctor).
Kes just did it in a much much nicer, and more diplomatic and cooperative way. That's all.
Excuse me, but I get the impression that you...............strongly dislike the character and the actress.
I liked Kes. Was she the strongest character or actor on the show? No. And unfortunately she was saddled with Neelix. But I thought she generally did a great job.
On her personal life, mental illness is a rotten thing to suffer from and I hope she can turn things around. Maybe she can make a comeback someday if that even interests her at this point. Stranger things have happened. I wish her the best.
On her personal life, mental illness is a rotten thing to suffer from and I hope she can turn things around. Maybe she can make a comeback someday if that even interests her at this point. Stranger things have happened. I wish her the best.
You know I did have this futuristic wish list of the ship having some kind of telepathic entity of its own.. Kes could so lend her voice to that..
Kes was one of the few reasons I really enjoyed VOY. I thought that her and Paris made a good match, and that LIen was talented actress for a role where she, essentially, was the only representative of her race on the ship. She had a great perspective and vibrancy that I thought only improved as she matured.
I think she got cut out of the series too soon, and I think there was some missed opportunities with the character. I agree that the mentorship role between her and Janeway was very well done, and would have been interested in seeing it continue on as Kes got older, and matured.
Seven was ok, but I would have preferred Kes for a while longer, at least.
I dislike the character but I don't hate her. Hate is too strong of an emotion for anything fictional. I have no feelings towards the actress since I don't know her. I just don't think she's a fantastic actor.
Last edited:
I really liked Kes, but I think it could've been a wonderful storytelling device. A character that lives her entire life through the span of the series. That's very Trekkian, in my book.
I completely agree. I though the short age was very unique and would have been very interesting to see the whole lifespan played out. There could have been some very dramatic moments towards the end
This post needs an edit.
Most hideous, nails-on-chalkboard scream ever heard on television.
She was so good in Warlord.
Lol yeah
Similar threads
